


Escape from the Green (Off the Green)

by kaijulvl5



Series: Escape from the Green [2]
Category: Prospect (2018)
Genre: Bargaining, Begging, Blow Jobs, Come Eating, Cunnilingus, Dirty Talk, Domestic Violence, Dubiously Consensual Blow Jobs, Ezra talks a lot, F/M, Fingers in Mouth, First Time Blow Jobs, Implied/Referenced Rape/Non-con, Oral Sex, Pearl Necklace, Plot What Plot/Porn Without Plot, Porn with Feelings, Rape/Non-con Elements, STDs don't exist in this universe, Science Fiction, space travel, wrap it before you tap it
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-14
Updated: 2020-11-14
Packaged: 2021-03-09 22:27:10
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,397
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27563770
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kaijulvl5/pseuds/kaijulvl5
Summary: Farra and Ezra spend some time on the pod before getting back to Puggart's Bench. Ezra has a change of heart and Farra has a decision to make.
Relationships: Ezra (Prospect 2018)/OFC, Ezra (Prospect 2018)/Original Female Character
Series: Escape from the Green [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2014753
Comments: 5
Kudos: 10





	Escape from the Green (Off the Green)

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks to Kelkelchu, whose comment made me want to add to this story!

Ezra sat in the pilot’s chair, resting after emptying and sorting his pack. He had stowed it in the airlock before breaching the pod and retrieved it when they woke up. They were both famished after the previous few hours, but his remaining rations would keep them supplied until the freighter picked them up. Farra had been silent as they ate, not that he noticed. He had fallen into the same sort of patter that was his habit when it got too quiet. 

“Now what you want to do is keep the Pastors as close to body temp as you can. It improves somewhat the texture and keeps it from gelling in the tube. The flavor, however, cannot usually be helped. Interspersed with the occasional Bitz Bar, one can make a passable meal of the poor fare to which we are relegated,” and on and on. He spoke at length about different meals eaten in different places, the quality and quantity of which varied to such a degree that she thought he took much creative liberty. Tuning him out wasn't difficult.

After breakfast, Farra sat cross legged on the floor on the far side of the pod, flipping a yellow scrub packet over and over in one hand. After the things they had done together, she felt shy, fading into the background while he worked. Given the room to think, she relived what had happened since Ezra had taken over.

It was good to be off the moon, but she didn’t feel particularly secure. Promising her body to a dangerous stranger was daunting. Her responses to him, how she hadn’t been able to resist what he made her feel; everything they had done together felt awkward and intimidating now that she thought about it. The words he had said to her were unrepeatable, even in her mind. She had reveled in all of it in the heat of the moment, but hated the weakness that made her give in to him so quickly. And the way he had bargained with her. A person who would force a woman into this situation was distressing in the extreme. 

None of this had been in her plans and she felt overwhelmed and at odds with herself. The examination of all of this seemed pointless. Farra was still too raw to be objective, and she was his captive, even if he wasn’t violent with her at the moment. The rumination frustrated her and she was questioning herself at a time when she didn’t have any choices. 

“Come on over here and take a seat,” he said, patting his knee. 

Lost in thought and not a little upset, Farra didn’t respond. She mashed the packet absentmindedly. 

“I thought the time for hesitation had passed, dear Farra. Why so recalcitrant now?” Ezra raised his eyebrow and opened his arms, asking her without words if he needed to come over there to get her. 

At the sound of her name, Farra stood up and turned her attention to him. He appeared relaxed and friendly, which calmed her nerves to some extent. Whether or not it was an act, she couldn’t tell. Regardless of his mood, there was no way she could avoid him, and she  _ was  _ a little interested to see what happened next. He hadn’t lashed out or treated her poorly since that initial encounter when he tied her up, but she hadn’t fought or resisted him since then, either.

_ And my body responded to him and I held him, and it did feel so good _ , she recalled. Her concerns warred with her curiosity as she placed herself in Ezra’s hands again.

He pulled Farra to him as she approached and tugged her down onto his lap. As she tried to settle herself, her expression changed. Her forehead bunched, eyes narrowed, and she made a small, sharp sound. His firm, muscled thighs pressed particularly wrong against her private parts. 

“Sore, hm?” He asked and captured her chin between his fingers. He turned her face left and right, then made an “m-hm,” noise deep in his throat and a half-smile tilted his lips as he confirmed this fact for himself.

Farra blushed and looked down, pulling free from his grasp. She nodded, ashamed again at how free with herself she was last night. Any thought about the greater impact of their actions hadn’t hit until they awoke. Now, facing him head on, their prosaic breakfast eaten and nothing more to do, she found it challenging to be so bold. 

“That’s not unexpected, I suppose,” he said, stroking her thigh. His hard hand was gentle as he moved it back and forth over her pajama clad leg. The thin material might as well have been nothing at all. His warmth sunk into her skin and the steady rhythm was comforting. 

They sat there, Farra across his lap, her legs dangling on one side. She shifted a little, trying to find a comfortable position, but finally gave up and sat still. Pretending to pick specks of lint from his shirt, she waited for him to speak. When she realized he wasn’t going to launch into another soliloquy, she chose to look him in the eye. 

“It’s just, I think,” she said, pausing between words, “It’s that you’re so big. I mean, I think I’ll get used to you, but I am kind of sore right now.” Farra had come to the conclusion that people must get used to this sort of thing, otherwise who would choose to continue doing it?

Ezra’s eyes widened and he said, “Flattery will get you nowhere, my dear,” but he smiled down at her as he spoke. “Don’t fret. You will be good as new, soon enough.” He passed his hands over her back, drawing them up and down, smoothing her shirt. 

She leaned into him, enjoying the closeness and the sensation of his body against hers. However much she liked this, some part of her remained alert for any signal of a change in his mood. Her heart beat remained elevated. He held her to his chest and she tucked her head under his chin. 

This was nice, but she knew that he must want more than to just hold her. The man was insatiable. After that first time, he had taken her twice more within a few hours. For some reason she had thought one and done to be some kind of rule, but each time he rallied her to her peak and each time it was glorious. He reached for the same closeness afterwards each time. Now he was acting as if he wanted to do the same for her. What an odd comparison to their previous sessions where she seemed to be  _ his _ comfort. Perhaps he wanted to reciprocate and that was his reason for being so attentive. 

Ezra watched Farra squirm on his lap. He truly enjoyed having her in his arms, her soft bottom across his thighs, her small hands pressed to his chest. He found that he became aroused at the slightest touch of her and he wanted more. Her recent experience with him hadn't exactly been easy on her and he could feel her heart hammering. Her anxiety was obvious to him, as was the fact that she was trying to hide it. 

Maybe he should have refrained after that first time, but he found he couldn’t resist her wet, warm, soft acceptance of him. He was entranced by what her body did to him and her screams of appreciation. And she joined him with that same fire each time, fully involved in their lovemaking. A partner and not a passive observer, or worse, a frozen victim. 

Her attitude hadn't been a concern for him initially, but he found that he was becoming more and more invested in her. He respected the way she met him head-on, unshrinking even now, when she knew from experience what was expected. Her pragmatism and resolve was refreshing. She seemed to be making the best of the situation he had laid out for her and he found himself admiring her for it. 

To his fascination, the little face and noise she made when she sat on his lap had tempered his desire. Maybe he could give her some time to heal, after all. The unexpected gift of her virginity had moved him more than he expected and her trust in him to do right by her in that regard was good for his ego. However, in the end, he was what he had said he was. A man with needs. 

He leaned down to her ear and whispered, “Let’s have a little fun, shall we?”

Farra shifted on Ezra’s lap, very aware of their previous encounters. “I’m not sure I can, Ezra,” she said, as close to a denial as she could bring herself. She grimaced a little. If he expected her to take him inside of her like she had last night, she wasn’t sure she could again so soon. He really was large and so damned insistent. 

“Oh, no, not that. There will be plenty of time for that as we go along”, he said. “No, my dear, satisfaction may be found in a great variety of ways.” He paused a beat and gave her a knowing smile, “I have another idea, if you are willin’, birdie.”

Farra couldn’t find a response right away. She did agree to this, after all, to satisfy his needs. It had been his price and she had said yes. True to his word, he hadn’t asked for or done anything she wasn’t already familiar with. On top of that, she had never felt so good when being touched by another person and it made an impression on her. Maybe this would be okay, too. She pressed closer, holding herself against him. 

“What is it?” she asked with clear apprehension. Saying no wasn’t something she hadn’t tried, yet, but she decided to test that option if she became uncomfortable. Even if it didn’t stop the thing from happening, she would have at least tried.

Ezra gathered her into his arms and bent his face to hers, taking her mouth in a deep kiss. He held her head at an angle as he took and took from her lips. She couldn’t breathe properly, but didn’t want him to stop. The pleasure was overwhelming. He did, though, after a moment and dragged his hand down her arm to her hand. He guided her to his cock, which he had maneuvered out of his waistband. He pressed her small hand onto himself and curled her fingers around his penis. “Touch me,” he said, nibbling along her jaw. “Do what you want, and I will let you know what I need.”

Farra was relieved that that was what he had in mind. She tentatively moved her hand up and down his firm member. He was getting harder the more she moved. She circled up and down, trying to touch as much of him as possible, stroking him the way she saw in the grainy screened SDTV shows outside of the brothels and clubs in rundown sectors. Every time she got to the tip, she gave an extra squeeze. Moisture gathered there and it wetted her fingertips with each pass. The actuality of doing this felt quite different from being an observer. 

“My dear, you are a natural,” Ezra said. He tilted his head back and gasped as she gave a particularly strong tug. 

“I’ve seen the vids, Ezra, I know what to do,” she said, her tone conveying the idea as self-evident. Who hadn’t seen this stuff? Then she held up her palm and licked it generously. The people in the shows always did that, too. She noticed the friction was better that way, and her movements were less impeded. When she redoubled her efforts he bucked into her hand. __

His speculative gaze took in what she said and did.  _ The vids, eh?  _ Ezra thought,  _ What would she consider moderate if that was her reference?  _ He decided to see what her reaction would be to something  _ he _ considered a little off the beaten path. 

“Well, if you’ve seen those, ah!” He sucked in a breath, “You must know how I would enjoy seein’ cum drippin’ down your beautiful breasts. How about we get you settled in?” He asked, and made to set Farra down at his feet. 

To his great appreciation and amazement, she got on her knees, obediently stripping off her top and angling her chest up to him. 

“You are pretty as a damned picture,” he told her. The worn out women in the flicks had nothing on this ingenue. Her soft skin was as clear and inviting as the first time she was under him. 

Farra pumped his cock in her small fist, using her other hand to take up additional space and really work him. She gazed up at him, caught up in her actions, then raised up a little to keep her grip on his member and give him a better view of her chest. 

_ Kevva, bless this girl's access to porn,  _ he thought and his eyes rolled back in his head. He gripped the arms of the chair tight. She was delightful. All her beauty on display before him, her pert breasts heaving with every tug on his hardness. Every open mouthed breath she took showed him her wet, pink tongue. 

Ezra desperately wanted her flushed, damp lips on him, and he wondered what would happen if he pushed her now. She was already going farther than anything he expected, but he wanted so much more. He caught her eyes and curled his finger, beckoning her closer.

Without missing a beat, she leaned toward him, still stroking him up and down with her hands. When she was close enough, he took her cheek in the palm of his hand and brushed his thumb up and down over her lips. 

“Do you know what I want?” He asked, his voice husky.

Farra shook her head slowly, still keeping eye contact as she continued moving her hands on him.

He pressed his thumb against her lips and said, “Give me your mouth.”

Farra hesitated, her movements slowing. She should have known this was something he would want. He almost said as much that first time they had sex. Of course, it was the most advertised offering in the districts. The places she shouldn’t have been wandering around when she was younger, but couldn’t avoid. 

She hesitated. Doing this to him made her feel powerful and desired. Stroking him, very aware of his obvious need and her over-sensitized mouth, she realized how much she was enjoying this. She thought about what reactions she could draw from him if she went along with his request. That made up her mind and she parted her lips for him.

Ezra’s own mouth opened slightly in momentary shock at her acceptance. Holding his breath, he slid his thumb into her waiting mouth, pressing slowly onto her tongue. Farra lowered her lashes and angled her eyes down and away, too late to demure. Her face colored bright red with the full impact of her decision. 

He moved his thumb in deeper and said, “Look at me.” 

She couldn’t bring herself to do it. Couldn’t have him watch her and know she wanted to do this as much as he did. But he was persistent. 

“Farra, I want you to look at me,” he said again, hard and uncompromising. She did look up then and they locked eyes. He took his time raking across her lower teeth, leisurely making her mouth his plaything, deeper and deeper, testing her limits. All the while, he cupped her face in the rest of his hand. “Good girl,” he praised when he felt she had taken enough of him in. Then he commanded her, “Suck.”

She closed her lips around his thumb and drew in her cheeks. As she did so, she began moving her hands on his cock again, slower than before, moving in time with his actions, the same way he was sliding in and out of her mouth. For a few moments he let her play with him like that, building the intensity, the connection. Finally he said, ”Please…” and gave a pointed look from her to his jutting penis, a slight nod at himself and hoped she wouldn’t back down. 

Farra was nervous at the thought of taking him in her mouth. He was thick and long, yes, but she thought she could do it. Maybe not all the way, but she was so amped up from her previous experiences and his touch that she overrode her fears and plunged ahead. Her hair fell into her face as she leaned over him. Taking his length firmly in both hands, she bent her lips to the hard shaft and kissed a line along one side, then licked down the other. 

Ezra gathered her hair in one hand, to give himself a better view. Not wanting to shock her out of her decision, he was careful to avoid directing her movements. This was unbelievable. She was willingly putting her mouth on him. Wonders would never cease.  _ Now if she would… _

As soon as the thought crossed his mind, she took the head of his penis into her mouth. The heat of it made him want to press forward, into her, to have more of her wrapped around him, but he didn’t dare. If he went at her the same way he had used her previously, he doubted she would be so willing in the future. So he endured the slow torture of her innocent exploration of his throbbing manhood. His need grew with every lick and tentative envelopment. 

He gritted his teeth and decided to beg, “Please, Farra. I need more of your sweet mouth...if you can. Beautiful, ah!”

She took him in as far as she could, taking a deep breath through her nose, but it still wasn’t enough. 

He continued, “Deeper, darlin’, ah! My word, but you are so lovely wrapped around my cock like that. Now suck, oh! Please!” 

She moved her hands up and down his girth, sucking on the portion of him that she could fit in her mouth. His taste was mild, like his natural scent, with a slight tang and something woodsy. She tried to place it, but she had never tasted anything like it before. Redoubling her efforts, Farra tried to find the rhythm of her earlier efforts interspersed with breathing and did her best to not catch him with her teeth. She must have been doing something right because his hand tightened in her hair, and he arched sharply toward her. 

In between gasps, Ezra graphically described exactly what it felt like to have her sucking on him. When his filthy narration caused her to intensify her efforts, he moaned, took one last look at what she was doing to him and moved forward to the edge of the seat. He watched her perky, tight nipples bounce with her efforts, his cock sliding in and out between her slick lips, plump and red from the pressure and friction, her tousled hair with his hand in it, so trusting, kneeling, kneeling at his feet. 

Wrapping his hand around his shaft, he pulled away from her mouth and held himself over her as he orgasmed forcefully, groaning loud and saying her name. He cursed as each stripe left his body. His seed spurted in gouts onto Farra’s gorgeous tits.  _ So fucking sexy. _ He almost couldn’t believe she had knelt there, using her mouth and spit-slicked hands on him until he found his release.  _ His virgin whore. Damn, she was something special, and she was his, even if it was only for that instant. _

Farra was caught off guard by the violence of his orgasm. She knew how it felt when he came inside her, but she never fathomed how much of his cum would be coursing over her. The hot, sticky liquid was all over her neck and chest. Embarrassing, but also, strangely, she found it to be deeply erotic. Curious about his taste, Farra slid her finger through a rivulet that ran down her nipple and licked it experimentally. 

Ezra had closed his eyes when he reached his apex, and had barely opened them again to see her...licking his cum from her fingers. He experienced a dizziness that rarely overcame him.  _ Kevva! Does she know how erotic that is? What it says about her boundaries?  _ he thought and filed that away for later consideration. It was too much for him to contemplate. 

When he found his voice again, Ezra said, “I think a bit of a wash is in order, don’t you?” He smiled at her and leaned back in the seat. The beads of sweat on his forehead belied his relaxed manner. 

Farra tried to keep it all from spreading and said, “Yes, please. You really did make a mess.” Forgetting herself momentarily, she giggled from the absurdity. 

Ezra grinned and fished a square of fabric from his back pocket. He wiped down her chest and neck carefully. Then he got up, tucked himself back into his pants and wetted a clean corner of the cloth with some of the drinking water. He handed it to Farra and sat back down. She finished cleaning herself off and set the cloth on the floor.

“I am in awe, sweetheart. You have yet to disappoint,” Ezra said, and held his hand out to her. Instead of using it to help her up as he intended, Farra rested her head in his palm. 

He wasn’t sure what to do with that reaction from her. It was such a sweet, almost insecure gesture, when she was so brazen only minutes before. “What is it, Farra?” He asked with a hint of care. 

She squeezed her wet thighs together, seeking some kind of relief and looked up at him, not sure how to ask for what she needed. The red flush that immediately tinged her face and neck was so charming, he laughed a little. 

“Whatever it is, you must tell me. I cannot have you blushin’ and mute all the time. Nothin’ will ever get done. Communication is the key. Say it, girl,” he said and stroked her hair gently. “I will not bite.”

She actually bit her lip and looked up at him, wide-eyed and needy. Better to come out with it. “I really want to cum, Ezra. But I can’t take...you. I just can’t.” Farra shook her head. There. She had said it. She told him what she wanted and he could laugh at her or whatever. 

He did chuckle a little, in a kindly way, but he said, “Only that? Well, let us see if we have a remedy for you.” He sat forward a bit and helped her to her feet. 

When she stood in front of him, he pushed her bottoms to the floor to pool next to her discarded shirt. Farra took his hand for balance and stepped out of the clothing. Being completely naked with the interior of the pod in daylight mode was unusual, but everything was unusual lately. 

Ezra pulled her legs apart carefully, widening her stance. He slid his thumbs through the slick on the inside of her thighs. He looked up at her as he did so, pleased to find her so aroused. She looked a bit dazed and offered no resistance. 

She murmured a question, “What are you doing?”

“You’ll like it, I promise. Rewards are in order, little bird. Let me give you yours.” Ezra watched her carefully as he said this. Slow steps to draw her deeper. She wanted her release and he knew he could give it to her, but he had used her body so selfishly before. The care he used with her now was important

Glancing around, uncertain, her need overtook her hesitation and she gave him the barest of nods. 

With that, Ezra slid his hands around behind her and grabbed her ass. Braced like that, she couldn’t back away. He dipped his head to her hip bone and laved a trail of hot, open mouthed kisses along her lower stomach. She flinched with ticklishness, but he kept going, moving his mouth across and down, lower and lower until he reached the top of her close cropped curls. Then he dipped even lower.

Farra moaned as he tongued her clit lightly, testing her reactions. When she pressed herself further onto his lips, he knew he had her convinced. Ezra lapped at the wetness that had gathered there while she pleasured him. He slipped out of the seat onto his knees in front of her and pushed her back until she sat on the center bulkhead. Then he laid her down so that her core was exposed to him, legs wide open, feet on the floor. 

The feel of his hot, limber tongue was something Farra could never have imagined. It sent electric bolts of pleasure shooting through her body with every movement. Between licks, she noticed that he wasn’t straying lower, instead keeping his attention on that part of her body that wasn’t hurting. Then he latched his mouth over her clitoris and her mind was overtaken.

Ezra hooked her legs over his shoulders to give him better access, then reached up around her thighs on either side to cradle her breasts in his hands. Her nipples were already peaked from her pleasure and he skimmed his finger over and around them. He kneaded and petted her breasts as he sucked on her. 

Farra moaned as he used his tongue and lips more vigorously. She even felt him graze his teeth over that part of her, barely, but it was maddening. She could feel her release coiling under his mouth. He had gotten her to this point so quickly she was stunned. 

Her whole body vibrated and her thighs clenched on either side of his dark head. His hair was damp and tousled and she threaded her hands through it, urging him to… she didn’t know what. She wanted more and to reach completion. It was so close and every time he let up the pressure of his tongue, she wanted to scream, “No!” But she couldn’t find the words and made high pitched gasps and small screams of frustration and pleasure instead. 

Finally, he hit a pace that matched her undulating hips and brought her to a screaming orgasm that made her whole body tingle and spark. He continued licking her all throughout this and if he hadn’t been holding her firmly, she would have fallen off the platform. He finally stopped and as she wound down, her senses came back to her and she noticed Ezra peering at her from between her legs. His beard and mustache were sopping wet and that damned grin of his. Like the cat and the cream, indeed. She couldn’t even be upset with him for feeling so satisfied with himself. Carefully she lowered her feet to the floor and propped herself up on one elbow. 

“That was amazing,” she said.

Ezra curled his hand over his mouth and chin, collecting her juices from his face. “You make quite a delicious mess, little lady.” He licked a finger in mimicry of her earlier action, then eyed her with such lasciviousness that it was funny. 

His predatory expression was so over the top that Farra actually found the leer endearing. What a far cry from when she first met him. Her fears set aside for the moment, all she could do was laugh and lay back down. Ezra positioned himself along her side to rest his head comfortably against her naked stomach and she raked her fingers through his damp hair, mussing it. They reclined there together, relaxed. 

———

Back on Puggart’s Bench, she and Ezra took quarters at a boarding house in one of the safer sectors of the largest city planet-side. The room possessed some luxuries that weren’t available on the pod. A wash closet, a cleansing station for their clothing and goods, and a food service connection. Fresh clothes and a hot meal made it seem like heaven, even though it was more cramped than the pod. 

As with most accommodations on the fringe planet, it was sparsely furnished. This particular unit had a single bunk with a real mattress that was wide enough for two people. There was a slide up tabletop with a couple of chairs tucked into one corner. A small, leafy green plant sprung from a gel stake, tendrils hanging down over the table and the lumin-globes gave the grey walls a cozy yellow glow. Pipes and vents that ran through the facility made a calm shush-shushing noise, and the temperature in the room was perfect. It had been so long since she simply enjoyed a moment of peace and quiet. 

Ezra was taking advantage of that cycle’s reshower allotment, so Farra pulled out her journal and a couple other items. Finding that the little table was the perfect height for writing had boosted her mood. With her book, pens and Puzo figurine on the table, she tucked her leg under her and got comfortable. Farra toyed with the little blue water bear that had been her writing buddy since she was a kid. She placed him facing toward her to “watch” her journaling and smiled to herself at her own silliness. Then she bent over the paper and recorded the events of the last few cycles.

The rest of the freighter run had been uneventful and she hadn’t continued to be as afraid as she had been that first cycle. The time had been filled with Ezra talking about his adventures and plans, interspersed with their sex sessions, as she began to call them. It was rare when she got a word in, and he didn’t ask her much. She wasn’t sure she wanted to share her past or hopes for the future with him anyway. This was a contract, after all, not a love match. Just because they seemed to get along didn’t change the reality of their lopsided bargain. 

Her history wasn’t that impressive, either. Orphaned right at the age of majority, left destitute with no means and no home, she set out accepting any jobs that became available. Ten stands of progressively worse tasks on which she did not wish to dwell. Through back breaking work she made it to Puggart’s Bench, where everyone was headed before exploring the furthest reaches of the fringe. She spent some time honing her skills, learning about aurelac and putting away funds to make a trip to the Green. When she met Damon, it seemed to be a good match. He had been prospecting on the Green before and knew the lay of the land, so they teamed up. Then he came back with the contract. No details, but it would get her out to the moon. Yes, the rush was mostly passed, but there must be deposits that people hadn’t discovered. Damon’s plan seemed Kevva-sent. 

It was a shame how it ended up, her friend dying for the actions he had taken. It was so mixed up in her mind and she had trouble telling who was right from who was wrong. Damon must have known the consequences, but he had been rash and done the greedy thing without a thought for her. She would miss him. He never was the greatest company, but he hadn’t been a truly bad person. And he hadn’t wanted any other kind of relationship with her, only the friendship and partnership they shared. After getting to know him, she doubted he had any romantic interest in anyone else, either. His sole love was the drug he chased. Granted, it seemed to her that it was under his control, but in the end, maybe it wasn’t.

Her thoughts roamed as she wrote. She had seriously considered leaving Ezra when they landed. Unfortunately, the port city was small and surrounded by open land, so she would be easy to track down if she tried to steal away. And Ezra still kept her share of his sale of the aurelac. She couldn’t lay her claim until the 20 cycles were up. 

The single gem of her own hadn’t netted enough to balance the sheet on her’s and Damon’s debts. They went in as partners in that venture and their costs were split. When he didn’t return, all of those fees fell to Farra’s name. Ezra paid for half of the pod lease, ‘a courtesy for the use of your mare’, as he put it, but it barely made a dent in the total. At least she would be in the black when all this was done.  _ If _ she got her ten points. However, the longer she spent with Ezra, the more she thought he would hold to the letter of their agreement. He hadn’t yet played her false as of yet, and that counted for something.

And then there was the sex. She found herself torn about that, too. It felt great, even better after her body acclimated. It was undeniable that he brought her to orgasm each time they coupled, and the other things he wanted were easy, exciting even. When they...did those things...Ezra found ways to expand on her pleasure before or after. He didn’t have to be like that. He didn’t have to take her needs into consideration, but he did and she knew that her enjoyment of their exploits enhanced his own pleasure. He positively glowed when she lost control with him. 

For someone who was so selfish and unpredictable, he was a reciprocal lover who took time to draw out her responses. She wasn’t experienced by any means, but she knew it wasn’t common to have a man take that much interest in a woman’s pleasure. Giving him her body was easy. He took from her, but gave in equal measure. Giving him her trust was another thing altogether. 

For the time being, however, she wasn’t finding anything too objectionable. It was temporary and he wasn’t awful. And he didn’t hurt her, well, any more. And he didn’t yell at her, or hit her, or force her to do things she couldn’t stomach. And, and, and. And there was nothing currently in her life that was worse than anything she had survived before. Some of it was actually better. It would only be another 12 cycles before they came to the end of their bargain. Running appeared to have the least benefit currently, so she stayed.

Farra was engrossed in her writing and didn’t notice when a thick, folded paper fell out of the back of her book and slid onto the table. 

Ezra came out of the shower, damp hair ruffled across his forehead, the blonde patch standing out in a cowlick. Small beads of water still showed on his lean torso. The sharp V of his hips and the sparse downward trail of dark hair peeked over the towel at his waist. He sauntered over to her and deftly nabbed the map that had fallen out of her journal. 

Farra exclaimed, “That’s mine!” She grabbed for the paper, but he was too quick. 

“I beg to differ. You should be a better steward of your belongings if you mean to keep them.” His corded forearms rippled as he unfolded it and held it away from her reach. 

It was a topographical map of a section of Bakhroma Green, marked in two places. One of them he recognized as a known landing ground for drop pods and the other location was an area he knew to be outside the normal claim stake zones. It was a semi-clear space at the edge of the forest, not the sort of place one would normally think to look for aurelac. And it wasn’t too far from where he found Farra’s pod. “What is this?” He asked.

“It’s nothing. A drip dream of Damon’s. Give it back.” All her jumping and reaching had no effect. He held her at length with one hand and then placed his body between her and the map, pushing her back. She gave up trying to take it back. “It’s all I have from him.”

Ezra scoffed, “That, and a freighter of bad debt. He sold you out as soon as he decided to steal from me.” He examined the map more closely. “The mercs? They’re real?” He asked, narrowing his eyes at her. 

“I don’t know,” Farra sulked and seated herself back at the table, crossing her arms. “He wouldn’t tell me. He said there was a job and we were there to harvest.”

“A partner who wouldn’t share details with you wasn’t much of a partner. What were you plannin’ to do before I found you there? Run to the mercenaries?” 

“That doesn’t matter now,” she said. She tucked her knees in, pulling them tight, making herself as small as possible. She didn’t want to think back to that time. 

“Now that is an accurate statement,” Ezra responded. He tapped the red circle over the clearing on the map, “The Queen’s Lair?” He searched her eyes, looking for confirmation. “M-hm,” he grunted, seeing exactly what he expected. “We need to get back there and take what we can. There will never be another opportunity like this.”

“It’s been too many cycles since I was supposed to meet them. I broke the contract. They’ll be out for blood,” Farra said. “And the Central-BG line isn’t running anymore.”

“Then we need a ship,” he said.

“It’s not worth it, Ezra. What if they left a guard? What if they trapped the place? Do you think people like that would simply leave the Queen’s Lair for someone else to take? And that’s if there is even anything left!” 

There was a gleam in his eye that she had seen before in another person. When Damon was out for the fix, or when he insisted that this dig was a sure thing. Nothing good came from that look. The credits would be welcome, amazing, even, but the cost was too much. She was relatively safe at the moment, albeit with a questionable future. However, that was not nearly as questionable as throwing herself back onto that poisoned moon for something that may not even exist. And if it did, she would be going back to mercenaries who could still be there, putting herself in the position to be stranded again, or killed outright. No, thank you. Not for her. She would take a hundred more shit jobs for meager wages than to be left like that again.

“Do you think I am such a poor protector, that I would fail to keep us safe out there? I have been to more places and survived more hazards than you could imagine in your short life, girl. I am still in one piece,” he said, punctuating each of the last few words by tapping the table hard. His blatant patronizing persuaded her that there was no way he would listen. 

“I won’t go,” she said. Farra couldn’t press herself farther into the corner.

“You go where I go, Farra.” The low menace in his voice was involuntary. He would have his way. Ezra reached toward her and curled his hand, as if he wanted to grab her, but he kept his control and struck the table with his fist instead. 

There it was. The switch in mood. That uncompromising determination that was a part of this man’s personality. That greed and excitement over another big pull. The call to seize what he could and hold on to what was his. And she was tied to him. 

“Then release my bond!” She pleaded. “I don’t want to go back there. I don’t care how much the dig is worth. It’s not worth my life!”

“Even split,” he said, regaining some of his initial calm. No trace of a threat remained in his statement.

Still shaking her head and clenching her eyes shut, tears of frustration formed at the corners of her eyes. Farra stopped at that and looked up at him, “What did you say?” 

Ezra sat down across from her and placed his elbows on the table, “I said, even split. You can harvest?” He gestured at her and she nodded. “Good. Together we can take the Queen. Either way you choose, Farra, our current accord remains unchanged. Join me in this willingly and receive an equal share, or be pulled along in my wake and forfeit. I refuse to free you of your bond and I would rather not have to fight you and the mercs at the same time. Be an asset, birdie. It can only do you good.”

Half the points from a harvest of that size. With that amount of credits, she would never have to work again. If she declined and he dragged her along anyway she wouldn’t have anything except the ten. Not even that much after she finished paying off the lease. Unless she could find a way to cheat him, if she survived. How likely was it that she could escape before they got underway? If she ran, she would have her life, and little else. Her mind was a jumble of thoughts all pressing on each other.

“What say you?” Ezra asked.

Agitated, Farra jumped up and scooped her belongings into her arms. She was shaking inside and out. This was happening too fast. Pacing the few steps across the room to stow her stuff, she wished she had gotten rid of that map. With her back turned, she could feel his eyes boring into her. She rose from her crouch, turned to face Ezra and ran her hands through her hair. The shorter bits stood on end, making her look half crazed. Well maybe she was, to be considering this. 

Rubbing her hands down over her face, Farra backed up to the edge of the bed and let herself fall backward onto the bunk. After a short time, she pushed herself into a seated position and glared at Ezra. Every ounce of her anger, frustration and impotent rage resided in her look, “I have requirements.”

“Enlighten me,” he said.

She enumerated each point forcefully, “One, you will eat the cost of this Kevva-damned trip. And two, you set up a failsafe for extraction.”

“Anyone ever tell you you are cute when you are mad?” He got up and approached her slowly. He reached out his finger and bopped her on the nose. 

“Yeah, and that guy is fucking dead,” she snapped at him and made a half serious attempt to bite at his finger. He caught her face in his hand instead, gripping her uncomfortably tight. 

Ezra knelt on the bed next to her, “Now, now, we are not here to do each other harm. I can think of a lot more pleasant things to do with that lovely mouth.”

“No,” Farra said and clamped her lips shut. She tried to turn her head, but he had her immobilized. When she brought her hands up to his wrist to pull him off her, Ezra dropped his hand and caged her against the wall. He braced his arms on either side of her body. 

Farra pressed back into the wall, closed her eyes tightly and crossed her arms in front of herself protectively, palms out-turned as if to ward off a blow. “I said no,” she repeated in a strained whisper. This was it. This was where she found out what was the effect of her denial. Her anger transmuted into trembling fear in the blink of an eye. She hated being like this when she wanted to be brave.

Ezra was already so close to her, but he leaned in even farther. He took her hands in his and lowered one of her arms, then the other. Then he pushed her hair back from her face gently, so gently. “Farra,” he said. “Farra, open your eyes.” 

She did so, still in a half-flinch, her face turned away, anticipating a slap or another rough grab from him. 

“What has you so afraid? I have done nothin’ to warrant this reaction.” His voice was soft, entreating. 

She shook her head and looked away from his earnest gaze. This did warrant her reaction, though. He had grabbed her and she could still feel the imprint of his hand on her chin. 

“Haven’t you?” She asked. “You hurt me, Ezra. And…and I told you no,” she said in a small voice. She was still afraid, but he hadn’t lashed out at her again when she denied him. 

“Shit. Let me see,” he examined her chin and neck. There were marks where his fingers had dug into the skin. “You are right. I was too rough. I truly regret hurtin’ you, for that I am sorry, but do not try to bite me, Farra. I cannot abide that.” The second part of what she said hit him in the gut. He paused for a beat to absorb her words and her attitude, “You have always been able to tell me no. I thought that was understood.” He tilted his face down, observing her, his dark eyes serious beneath his slightly raised brows.

The stress of all the ups and downs, all of the recent switches he pulled on her finally broke her. She started crying in loud, ugly wails. The hopelessness she felt, the sting of pain in her jaw, deciding to go back to the Green, being at the mercy of this mercurial man, her insecure future, her plans that went up in smoke. She was so lost. Now he was saying that she could deny him. Farra was sure he was playing mind games. 

Ezra switched their positions on the bunk so that he was propped against the wall and pulled her into his arms. He held her while the long gasping sobs wracked her body. 

He was not pleased that she was so scared of him, of his reactions. Grabbing her like that was a reflex, but it didn’t excuse what he had done. This wasn’t what he wanted from their relationship. He had felt something for the small woman in his arms from the first time that she had chosen to hold him. And here she was, shaking and weeping on his naked chest. 

It had taken too long to dawn on him that forcing her to keep their bargain wasn’t going to work. He had thought he would be able to convince her to stay if he simply had more time. Now he saw that was the wrong idea from the start. He stroked her hair back from her face and said, “I know you are frightened, little bird. This is a calamitous frontier we face, but we face it together. I do not wish for you to be fearful of me.”

“If that is true, then let me go,” she said, her voice choked. “I don’t want any part of this. I don’t have any choices, I can’t say no. I don’t know what will happen if I break my word. I have nothing and no one, Ezra.” Farra pushed herself out of his hold and he let her go. She put the full length of the mattress between them and buried her face in her hands, sobbing.

“Then do not leave,” he said. Holding Farra again, with no intentions other than comforting her had solidified his feelings. He made his decision. “Throw in your lot with me.”

Farra continued to shake her head, too caught up in despair to register what he was saying.

“Farra, I think we may have somethin’ here between us that is not often found. Will you please hear me?” His throat constricted.

She sniffled and peered at him from behind damp arms she had wrapped around her knees. Her eyelashes were dark and wet, spiky with her tears, but her crying slowed. 

He had not realized how much he was invested in this connection with her until that instant. This abject throwing of himself at her feet was not what he envisioned when he had... had made her prostitute herself for him. He admitted that to himself. That  _ was  _ what he had wanted when he started this whole thing. But it was now more than meaningless gratification to him, more than the power trip of keeping her against her will. 

A part of himself that he had thought was dead had begun to come back to life. His mentality at the beginning had been that of a man lost. Only out for himself, his wants, his needs. A man who didn’t care about anyone and viewed Farra as an object. A voiceless, helpless thing to satisfy him. When he laid her down that first time, his own actions were a revelation to him. Decades had passed since the last time anyone stole their way into his affections, but the way she made him feel when she put her arms around him made him reconsider everything. Her reactions when he met her needs, the awestruck looks, her smile and her genuine laugh made him want more, and he wanted it to be her choice to stay with him. For that, Ezra was willing to take the chance that she would leave him. The possibility that she would decide to stay was worth the risk.

“You are hereby free of your obligation, Farra, but I have another proposal: Join me as an equal and of your own free will. Please,” he stopped short of begging, but it was a close thing. 

He sat silently, waiting for her response. In a matter as serious as this, he refused to allow his big mouth to dig a deeper hole. So he waited.

Farra’s mind was reeling. He made her so off balance. He told her that he wasn’t letting her go and now he was, but wanted her to choose to stay. To go along willingly with him back to the Green. If she agreed to stay even though he gave her a free pass to leave, it would be madness. She had wanted so badly to cut and run a short time ago. But this was an opportunity to make something of this whole mess. To give up the possibility of more wealth than she had ever known would also be crazy. 

Farra’s experiences told her there was no security in this existence. No safety, no real stability. She was indebted and had nowhere to go. No one to share anything with. She was a floater with no home. Despite the origins of the situation, the last few cycles with Ezra had been more exhilarating and satisfying than anything she had in her old life. If there was the chance of more, why shouldn’t she reach out for it, danger and all?

She had to make a choice. Stay with the man who took terrible advantage of a helpless woman, or leave and never speak to him again. Multiple times he had shown the capacity to harm her. She would be a fool to overlook that. What if he snapped? If something happened and his reflexes caused her serious damage? The physical violence was a reality; not the rule, but it was an issue she couldn’t ignore. However, he had never used it to coerce her. 

As she reviewed their recent past, she realized that each time they had their intimate encounters, Ezra had checked with her, asked her what she wanted, how far she was willing to go, and had not strayed past those boundaries. The reins had been in her hands far more than she had understood. She really could have told him no. That revelation required some time to fully comprehend. 

“Thank you for my freedom Ezra. However, your offer is unexpected,” she said. “I must think on this.” The excessive formality helped her regain some composure. 

He breathed in a sigh. Not quite relieved, but if she was thinking about it, there was a chance. 

After a few moments of contemplation, she stated, ”I have a question.”

He nodded at Farra once, up, then down, solemnly inviting her to ask what was on her mind. 

“If I go with you, what will we be?” She asked.

He hesitated, but he knew if he didn’t press forward, he risked losing her altogether. “Partners, lovers...friends, I hope? I was wrong to start our acquaintance in such a barbarous way and then to continue on as such. It was a mistake, one for which I take full responsibility, and I wholeheartedly apologize. That I was not as brutish in pressing my advantage as I could have been does not make it right. It will not happen again. Whatever you are willin’ for us to be, that is what we will be.”

She searched his face, trying to judge his veracity. The risks involved with the trek back to the Green and harvesting the Queen would be substantial. She didn’t know if she could trust Ezra. Confined in a shuttle with him again for several cycles and then pitted against who knew what dangers when they arrived. His drive to collect as many gems as he could was in her favor, but his sudden change of heart after 8 cycles of keeping her captive made her question his sincerity. What did she have to lose, after all? Her life, of course, but she couldn’t help but recognize what he meant when he said there could be something more with the two of them. 

Farra thought about her past. She had spent more time with shadier people for less credits than this venture would net. The struggle of saving and the disgusting, back breaking work. More of the same in her future if she chose to leave. 

Oddly enough, she did believe that their partnership could succeed, provided they kept straight. She couldn’t consider having sex with him again for a long time. It would take a lot of proving from him for her to take that step again.

“Partners,” she said, “I think we can be that. I hope our harvest will be successful and we can both benefit. Lovers? I don’t know. I do know I am not your friend, Ezra. I don’t know if I ever will be.” The shift in power was only verbal, but Farra was doing her best to own it.

His face fell at her words, but he was buoyed by the fact that she would join him. Their venture to the Queen’s Lair would take several cycles and they would be together the whole time. He was sure he could win her over. The man he had been when they met was not someone he was proud of and he wanted to change for the better. The possibility of a future with her was worth the effort. 

“I thank you for your acceptance of a partnership, Farra. You are equitable in your decision and I will abide by it. It does pain me that you have chosen to discontinue our lovemakin’, as it seems to me that it benefits us both…” Farra took in a sharp breath to respond, but Ezra continued, placing his hands out in front of him, requesting that she allow him to speak. “It benefits us both, but I have abdicated the position of imperator in this regard. You shall have the say of our association movin’ forward.”

Farra looked at him, eyebrows raised, “Not a trick?” She asked. 

“Upon my word,” he said and held his hand over his heart. 

Warily, she uncurled from her position on the bed and stood up. “Okay, then,” she said. She swiped the remaining tears from her face and turned to the small wash closet. Then she ran her hands under the water outlet and passed them over her face, washing the salt from her cheeks. The mirror above the sink showed her the red-rimmed eyes and puffy face that always appeared when she cried like this. She stared and wondered what she was getting herself into now.


End file.
